Ultimate Box Set

The Residents' Ultimate Box Set (or UBS) is a "box set" collection of the first editions of all releases by The Residents up to 2012, housed in a 28 cubic foot refrigerator.

First announced in December 2012 in a YouTube infomercial starring the group's lead singer Randy Rose, the box set was aimed at the high art market and priced at $100,000. To date, only two Ultimate Box Sets are known to have been produced; one which was donated to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and another for a wealthy fan in Indiana (who ultimately paid less than 25% of the $100,000).^{^[1]}

When asked in December 2020 if the Ultimate Box Set would still be available for anyone who was able to pay for it, Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation said "let's talk".^{^[2]}

History[]

"The plain and simple truth is that this box set, it's so huge, that it takes a refrigerator to hold it all!" - Randy Rose

Residentsubsmagnet — Numbered magnet included with "Tripmonster"'s UBS

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut release, The Residents conceived what may be their most ambitious product ever: The Residents' Ultimate Box Set, a 28 cubic foot refrigerator (labelled with a special "UBS" fridge magnet)^{^[3]} containing first editions of every release by The Residents up to that point as well as additional merchandise (including an original eyeball mask, or optional skull).

The UBS was announced via a YouTube infomercial video in December of 2012, featuring The Residents' lead singer Randy Rose in a Santa Claus suit (the same he would later wear during the Wonder of Weird tour) offering the box for sale for $100,000 (plus shipping, handling and insurance).

The group originally considered delivering the Ultimate Box Set in a "handcart", along with a banquet and special performance for the buyer by The Residents, however this plan ultimately did not come to fruition.^{^[2]}

Sales[]

As one might imagine, the $100,000 price tag severely limited sales of the Ultimate Box Set. Many fans assumed it was a joke, or an artistic comment on consumerism. The Cryptic Corporation insisted that the UBS was intended as a legitimate product, aimed towards a high art market. It was to be limited to only ten copies, with the sets themselves only being created after orders were received for them.^{^[1]}

To date, only two sets have been produced. One was donated to the Museum of Modern Art in New York City (which included the original "Mr. Brown" eyeball mask), and the other (which included the "Mr. Green" mask)^{^[4]^[3]} was purchased by a fan in Indiana known as "Tripmonster".^{^[4]^[3]} The fan, whose wife was somehow related to the Eli Lilley pharmaceutical fortune, made a $10,000 deposit towards the set,^{^[2]} with the remaining $90,000 to be paid in future instalments.

Homer Flynn of Cryptic and Don Hardy (director of the documentary film Theory of Obscurity: A Film About The Residents) travelled to Indiana to personally deliver the set, filming the proceedings for a 10 minute short film to accompany the documentary ("a very nice piece", according to Flynn, which remains unreleased and in the possession of Don Hardy). The fan's marching band performed for the short film, which also featured his wife and children.^{^[2]}

Unfortunately the fan's marriage came to an end, and afterwards (according to Flynn) "Tripmonster" stopped making payments and became "very strange" and "very abusive" towards Flynn in a series of text messages, claiming that The Residents and the Ultimate Box Set were instrumental in the break-up of his marriage. Contact ceased between "Tripmonster" and the Cryptic Corporation at this point.^{^[2]}

As of December 2020, Flynn had not heard from "Tripmonster" in around four or five years.^{^[2]} Flynn said at a reading of The Brick-Eaters in August 2018 that the fan had paid less than 25% of the total $100,000 value of the Ultimate Box Set.^{^[1]} Flynn later said he considered both "Tripmonster" and his wife to be very interesting people, and that shooting the unreleased short film allowed Flynn and Hardy to gain a great deal of insight into the family's lives.^{^[2]}

Contents[]

Residentsubs2 — The Museum of Modern Art's *Ultimate Box Set*

The Ultimate Box Set contains over one hundred first editions of virtually all of The Residents' albums, singles, DVDs, box sets, books and CD-ROMs released up to 2012, as well as a real eyeball mask (with the option of a skull on a first come, first served basis) and additional merchandise, all housed in a 28 cubic foot, two-door refrigerator.

Vinyl albums[]

Meet The Residents (1974) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing of 1000 with Beatles cover
Meet The Residents (1974) - Ralph Records LP, 1985 "13th Anniversary" picture disc
The Third Reich 'n Roll (1976) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing of 1000
The Third Reich 'n Roll (1976) - Ralph Records LP, reprint with censored cover art
Fingerprince (1977) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing of 1000
Not Available (1978) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing with purple labels
Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen (1978) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing with green boxes on back cover
Please Do Not Steal It! (1979) - Ralph Records LP, promotional pressing
Subterranean Modern (1979) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
Eskimo (1979) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing on white vinyl
Eskimo (1979) - Ralph Records LP, 1983 picture disc
Commercial Album (1980) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
Frank Johnson's Favorites (1981) - Ralph Records LP
Mark of the Mole (1981) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
The Tunes of Two Cities (1982) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
Ralph Records 10th Anniversary Radio Special! (1982) - Ralph Records LP, promotional pressing
Best Of Ralph (1982) - Ralph Records 2xLP, first pressing
Residue of The Residents (1983) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
Mole Show (1983) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing
Title In Limbo (1983) - Ralph Records LP
Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats? (1984) - Ralph Records LP
The Census Taker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1985) - Episode Records LP, first pressing on red vinyl
The Big Bubble (1985) - Ralph Records LP, first pressing on pink vinyl
Memorial Hits (1985) - Wave Records LP
The Eyeball Show (1986) - Wave Records LP, Japanese edition of The 13th Anniversary Show - Live In Japan
The 13th Anniversary Show - Live In Japan (1986) - Ralph Records LP
Stars & Hank Forever! (1986) - Ralph Records LP
God In Three Persons (1988) - Rykodisc 2xLP, first pressing on clear vinyl in gatefold cover
The King & Eye (1989) - Enigma Records LP, promotional pressing
Cube-E - Live In Holland (1990) - Enigma Records 2xLP, first pressing
Stranger Than Supper (1990) - UWEB LP
Freak Show (1990) - The Cryptic Corporation LP, promotional pressing
Roadworms: The Berlin Sessions (2000) - Euro Ralph 2xLP, blue vinyl
WB:RMX (2004) - Euro Ralph LP
The King & Eye: RMX (2004) - Euro Ralph LP

12" vinyl singles/EPs[]

Diskomo / Goosebump (1980) - Ralph Records 12" EP, first pressing
Intermission (1982) - Ralph Records 12" EP, first pressing
For Elsie (1987) - The Cryptic Corporation 12" single-sided silk-screened EP

7" vinyl singles/EPs[]

Santa Dog (1972) - Ralph Records 2x7" EP
"Satisfaction" (1976) - Ralph Records 7" single, first pressing
The Beatles Play The Residents and The Residents Play The Beatles (1977) - Ralph Records 7" single, artist proof
Duck Stab! (1978) - Ralph Records 7" EP, first pressing
"Santa Dog '78" (1978) - Ralph Records 7" single
Babyfingers (1979) - Ralph Records 7" EP, first pressing with white label
Buy Or Die 1980 (1980) - Ralph Records 7" EP, promotional sampler
Commercial Single (1980) - PRE Records 7" EP, UK release
"The White Single" (1984) - Ralph Records 7" single, white vinyl with reverse label error
"Kaw-Liga" (1986) - Ralph Records 7" single, with picture cover
Buy Or Die #14 (1987) - Ralph Records 7" EP, promotional sampler
"Hit The Road Jack" (1987) - Ralph Records 7" single, first pressing
"Double Shot" (1988) - Torso 7" single
Don't Be Cruel (1990) - Torso 7" EP

Cassettes[]

The Residents Radio Special (1977) - Ralph Records promotional cassette
Assorted Secrets (1984) - Ralph Records cassette, limited edition

CD-ROMs[]

Freak Show (1994) - Voyager CD-ROM
Gingerbread Man (1994) - ION Enhanced CD/CD-ROM
Bad Day on the Midway (1996) - Inscape CD-ROM

Books[]

The Cryptic Guide To The Residents (1986) - Bach's Decay book, with "Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers" one-sided 7" single
Freak Show (1992) - Dark Horse Comics graphic novel, with "Blowoff" CD single
Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated Guide To The Residents (1993) - The Cryptic Corporation book, with sampler CD of the same name
Night Train To Nowhere! (2012) - The Cryptic Corporation book, with CD of the same name
Bad Day on the Midway (2012) - The Cryptic Corporation book, with Music From The Game Reconsidered CD

Miscellaneous items[]

Duck Stab! combo pack - t-shirt, original 7" EP and poster
Steven Cerio figurines
An eyeball mask (or optional skull)

Mystery Box[]

Announced in the infomercial alongside the Ultimate Box Set was a "Mystery Box", available for a much larger sum of $5,000,000 (plus shipping, handling and insurance). The Mystery Box was also available for purchase at the merchandise stand during the group's Wonder of Weird live tour priced at $4,999,999.99.

The Mystery Box was never purchased. During a reading of The Brick-Eaters in August 2018, Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation confirmed that the Mystery Box contained the complete publishing rights to all of The Residents' music. He also explained that the Mystery Box had been something of a joke/publicity stunt and that they did not expect anyone to buy it.^{^[5]}

Given that the publishing rights to The Residents' music are now partly owned by Cherry Red Records and MVD Audio, the Mystery Box is no longer available for sale.

External links and references[]

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "Only one UBS has sold. And The Residents were ripped off because the guy paid less than 25% of the $100,000. The other was donated to Museum of Modern Art... 8 are still left "in stock" but they won't actually be made until orders come in..." - Frenesi Gates, The Residents Facebook group, August 29th 2018
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 Anomany Podcast Episode 67: The Residents
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Post by Randy Rose, Maurice and Me, ca. 2014
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Josh Keppel, "The Residents' $100,000 'Ultimate Box Set' Sold and Delivered", NBC Bay Area News, October 22nd 2013
↑ "Homer confirmed last night that the $5 million Mystery Box consisted of the publishing rights to all The Residents' music. He also said that the item itself was a bit of a joke/gimmick/marketing tool, and they naturally didn't expect anyone to buy it." - Frenesi Gates, The Residents Facebook group, August 28th 2018

[:2-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 "Only one UBS has sold. And The Residents were ripped off because the guy paid less than 25% of the $100,000. The other was donated to Museum of Modern Art... 8 are still left "in stock" but they won't actually be made until orders come in..." - Frenesi Gates, The Residents Facebook group, August 29th 2018

[:1-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 ^2.4 ^2.5 ^2.6 Anomany Podcast Episode 67: The Residents

[:3-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 Post by Randy Rose, Maurice and Me, ca. 2014

[:0-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Josh Keppel, "The Residents' $100,000 'Ultimate Box Set' Sold and Delivered", NBC Bay Area News, October 22nd 2013

[5] "Homer confirmed last night that the $5 million Mystery Box consisted of the publishing rights to all The Residents' music. He also said that the item itself was a bit of a joke/gimmick/marketing tool, and they naturally didn't expect anyone to buy it." - Frenesi Gates, The Residents Facebook group, August 28th 2018

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Ultimate Box Set

Contents